Phonograph driving mechanism



v March-23,1948.

- 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 4, 1946 7 w 1/ 3 M. m I z I ,1 m |.ii. L ,V I M M M. K W K Y /r v w B I. 4 1 W/ a Q a W M w M 7 n a 52 H b f s A/ .1 a a I: a 0 6 4 0 b a 5 M w 4 H 4 4 March 23, 1948. v J. BENDER, JR 2,438,264

PHONOGRAPH muvme MEcHANIsm K Filed April 4, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 g a? 4 T/39 H6214 se INVENTOR.

Fla/2 BY M r h 1948. J. BENDER, JR 1 2,438,264

PHONOGRAPH DRIVING MECHANISM Filed April 4, 1946 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 mlllllllllllllll 11f M 1948- J. BENDER, JR i 3M PHONOGFAPH DRIVING MECHANISM Filed April 4, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 23, 1948- 2,438,264 PHONOGRAPH DRIVING MECHANISM Joseph Bender, Jr., Elyria, Ohio, General Industries Company,

corporation of Ohio assignor to The Elyria, Ohio, a

Application April 4, 1946, Serial No. 659,531

-17 Claims.

My invention relates to phonograph driving mechanisms and relates more particularly to an.

improved friction type driving mechanism employing a single idler wheel interposed between a motor driven roller and the inner surface of the turntable flange andrelates more specifically to means for driving said idler wheel and thereby said turntable at a plurality of different speeds.

My present invention involves certain features of improvement in the friction type of phonograph turntable driving mechanism disclosed in the co-pending application of H. L. Hartman Serial No. 550,995 filed August 24, 1944, now Patent No. 2,421,910, to which reference may be made for a more complete description of the type of idler wheel mounting disclosed in the embodiment of my invention which is herein illustrated and described.

An object of my invention is to achieve a change-speed operation in a friction drive mechanism of the type referred to, which will achieve the desired purpose in a simple, reliable, expeditious and effective manner.

Another object of my invention is to provide common controlling means for effecting the change speed operation whereby to change the adjustment of frictional driving elements so as to drive the turntable alternatively at at least two different speeds and to provide a neutral position of the controlling apparatus at which operation of the driving motor will be interrupted, the interruption of th motor circuit being achieved under-the control f common manually operable control means for starting and stopping the motor and for achieving a switch-over from one turntable speed to another turntable speed.

Another object of my invention is to achievedriving of a phonograph turntable alternatively at a relatively low or a relatively high speed and to achieve the change-over from one speed to the other in a simple expeditious manner and without impairing the durability of any of the operative parts of the driving mechanism as a result of repeated change-over operations.

Another object of my invention is to achieve the foregoing object through use of a single idler wheel intermediately disposed between the turntable flange and the driving roller, which is preferably a part of, or is carried by, the motor shaft.

Another object of my invention is to achieve the foregoing objects through the operation of a simple single movement adjustment of a single manually operable adjustment handle.

Another object of my invention is to achieve the foregoing objects while retaining the advantageous use of a floating idler mount of the character of that disclosed in the aforesaid Hartman co-pending application,

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of mechanism comprised in an embodiment of my invention, and exposed to view by assuming the cutting of the planular disc portion of the turntable from its pendant flange portion;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of said embodiment, the turntable being entirely removed therefrom;

Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 are similar plan views showing elements of said mechanism of Fig. 1 disposed in relatively different adjusted positions;

Figs. 5 and 6 are similar side elevational views showing elements of said mechanism in differently adjusted positions, and in each of which figures some parts are conveniently shown in section;

Figs. '7, 8 and 9 show, in side elevation, the idler wheel of said mechanism in three differently adjusted positions:

Figs. 10 and 11 are perspective views of the mechanism of said embodiment with lements thereof shown in relatively different adjusted positions, Fig. 10 showing the details of a cushioning mount in vertical section, and Fig. 11 indicating a portion of a motor as broken away to expose rearwardly disposed mechanism elements which are not exposed to view in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a detail with three differently adjusted alternate pin positions indicated thereon;

Figs. 13, 14 and 15 illustrate the three rotatively different positions of a controlling crank arm and associated parts of the embodiment of my invention of the foregoing figures;

Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken on the lin I6-l6 of Fig. 3.

With reference now to the drawings, in all of which like parts are designated by like reference characters, the turntable I is mounted on a rotatable post spindle 2 which is freely rotatable in a bearing 3, said post 2 extending vertically upwardly above the main mounting plate 4 and having its lowermost stem portion encased by the bearing housing 3 which afi'ords a support for the post.

A motor M is rigidly secured and supported by a supplemental plate 5 which is pendantly supported from the mainplate I by cushioning connectionsbetween said plates, each of said connections here shown involving a stem element 3 secured to the plate 5 and extending freely through an aperture of the main plate 4 which supports a rigid tubular element I having an uppermost radial flange I0, said stem 6 provided with a head 8 which is centrally secured to a rubber diaphragm element 9 whose peripheral portion is fitted over said flange of the element I, as best shown in Fig. 10.

Preferably three of such cushioning supports are employed, as best shown in Fig. 1 two of these being preferably disposed in nearly lateral alignment with the axis of rotation of the driving roller H, and the other being disposed preferably at an opposite side of said roller from the side thereof at which the idler wheel 12 islocated.

An extension plate id is rigidly secured at its outer ends, as by welding, to the main base 4 and in pendant relation thereto, said plate 4a providing a convenient support for the idler wheel and other mounting apparatus, as best illustrated in Figs. 2, and 11.

The idler wheel I2 is journalled by its hub 13 on a journal pin l4 rigidly secured at its lower end to a slide plate l5 and is freely rotatable on said pin.

Said slide plate I5 is preferably of U-shaped form with a relatively wide web or base portion IE to which the pin I4 is secured and comprises also two parallel arms [1 and [8, the latter being preferably the longer, said arms I1 and i8 being of flat sheet metal and partially disposed within longitudinally extending horizontally disposed slide way slots I8 disposed at the side of the two ends of a block l9, as best shown in Fig. 16. The slide plate i5 is therefore adapted for limited longitudinal reciprocatory movement on said block 19, being constrained by-the interengaging portions of said block and slide to reciprocate in either longitudinal direction which is defined by the longitudinal axis of the block.

The block 19 therefore aflords a carrier which is rotatably swingable about its Journal 20 and the journal pinld for the idler wheel 52. The slide i5, which affords a support for the idler wheel i2, is adapted to partake of the rotative swinging movements of the carrier and additionally is adapted to move longitudinally of the block l9 whereby the idler wheel I2 can be accurately positioned within the range of said reciprocatory and rotative movements to take such a position as to simultaneously engage the inner surface of the turntable flange, as best shown in Fig. 1, and a stepped portion of the step roller Ii according to the desired adjustment of the idler wheel.

The journal 20 upon which the block 19 is journailed is made suificiently long so as to project substantially below the main base 4 through the strap portion thereof 4a through the pendant bearing 22 to position its lower flanged end 23 at such place as it may be engaged by the lever arm 23 carried on a rotatable shaft 25 projected through openings 26 and 26' disposed in hangers 21 and 21, respectively, rigidly secured at their upper ends to the strap portion 4a and mounting plate 4, respectively, as by welding as at 28; the

hanger 21 being preferably made unitary with the strap 4a as a depending arm thereof, as best shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Although spring means in variant forms andvariously applied may be employedin the present embodiment, I show one such spring means comprising a leaf spring 29 aflixed by means of screws at a portion 30 to the mounting plate 4, the free end of said spring 29 hearing against the end of the longer arm [8 of the slide l5 and exerting thrust pressure against said arm in such manner as to tend to move the slide plate l5 in the slideways ill of the block [9 to such an extended posi-" tion as illustrated in Fig. 1, where the spring 29 presses the slide plate, wheel carried thereby, until the periphery of the wheel makes proper pressure engagement at "F with the turntable flange and at "R" with the driving rOller'i l. I In the making of contact with both the roller H and the inner surface of the turntable flange at F," the pressure of the spring 29 is also efiective to rotate the idler supporting carrier on its axis 20, while the slide plate I5 is similarly moved in its slideway.

In making the above pressure engagements,

the wheel upon making a first engagement with v either the roller or the turntable flange will be deflected thereby until another portion of the idler periphery will engage the remaining flange or the roller,

The spring 29 engaging the longer arm l8 of the slide l5 as at 3| will tend to rotate the idler wheel I2 in a counter-clockwise direction about of the carrier I9 is avoided by the provision of an annular radial flange 20, shown in Fig. 5,

upon which the carrier l9 rests and by the socalled hairpin wire retainer 32, best shown in Fig. 1, which, in a well known manner, restrains the upper end of the rod 20 from moving downgragily relative to the upper end of the carrier The lever arm 24 journalled on the ,shaft 25,

as above described, is adapted to be swung by rotational movement of said shaft 25 and, in turn, the shaft 25 is oscillatably rotatable by swinging movements imparted to another lever arm 33 which is rigidly amxedto the shaft 25 at its opposite end, said lever 33 being provided with a cylindrical lateral crank-handle extension 33'.

The said crank handle extension-33 is positioned closely adjacent to a camm ing extension 34 of an arm 35 secured to-a vertically extending stem 36 to the upper end of which a manually operable thumb handle 31 is rigidly secured, the handle 31 and arm 35 being both rigidly secured to the stem 36 when the handle 31 is rotated by the operator grasping and turning it with the thumb and flrst flnger of his hand.

The camming extension .34 of the arm 35 is adapted to engage the crank handle extension 33' of the cranklever arm 33 and to cause said arm 33 to be'swung. outwardly commensurably in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, a leaf spring 38 secured:

and therefore the idler When the knob is rotated to the neutral position illustrated in Fig. 8 wherein the idler wheel I2 is laterally spaced from any engagement with the roller H, the intermediate depression 40 will receive the rounded projection 39 of the spring 38 and will hold the knob 31, and all apparatus adjusted thereby including the idler wheel l2, in such position, reference being made to Figs. 3,

5 and 8, to show the relative positioning of the parts for said neutral adjusted position.

In the drawings, in Figs. 3, 5 and 8, the parts are illustrated in the neutral or non-driving position; Figs. 4, 6 and 9 illustrate the slow speed driving position wherein the idler wheel tread is engaged with the uppermost or reduced step llb of the driving roller; and Figs. 1, 2, '7 and 10 illustrate the high speed driving position of the parts,

As hereinbefore stated, the neutral position is achieved by rotating the knob 31 to the position indicated in Fig. 3 and it is to be noted that in such position the crank arm 35 extends in such direction as to be in longitudinal alignment with a. link 4| secured to the cam -34 and therefore thrusts the rod 4| outwardly so that its remote end provided with an elongated opening 42 and hook 43 is moved in the direction of the arrow 44, Fig. 3, and in such case, the tip of the hook 43 deflects the spring 29 and the pin 30, which projects downwardly from and is carried by the longer arm l8 of the slide |5, being rigidly aflixed thereto and being tractively moved outwardly with'respect to the carrier l9, retracts the slide |5 from the position shown in Fig. 4 or the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position illustrated in Figs, 3, 5 and 8. Meanwhile, the idler wheel I 2 is moved from engagement with any step of the driving roller with which it may have previously been in driving engagement.

Now, should it be desired to operate the turntable at a low speed such as 33 R. P. M., the controlling knob 31 is rotated until the low speed depression 40a is rotatively moved to alignment with the looking projection 39 of the spring 38, said projection being then received within the depression 40a, and the crank arm 35, which, in the neutral position as shown in Fig. 3, was Dositioned in longitudinal alignment with the strap link 4|, is then moved rearwardly from the guiding post 45, which is rigidly carried on the pendant strap extension 4a of the main frame 4, til said post 45 engages the outermost end all of the elongated opening 42 at the outer end of said link, as shown in Fig. 4.

Retraction of the link 4|, as described, permits and crank arm 24 on the common axis with the result that the free end :of the crank arm 24 engages the lower end of the lift rod 20, upon which the upper end of the carrier block 9 is fulcrumed by its hub 2|.

Said crank arm 24 then by its free end 24, which makes engagement with the lower flat enlarged end flange 23 of the rod 20, pushes said rod 20 upwardly against the power of a helical compression spring 46 telescoped over the rod 20 and seateclwithin a centrally bored portion of the bearing 22 and abutting the end flange 23, so that the rod 20 and the block carrier i9 are lifted from their lowermost position as shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 10.

Such elevation of the block serves to correspondingly elevate the slide 5 and the idler wheel l2 which, as" described, is suitably journalled on the upper side of said slide |5 so that the idler wheel is brought into the same horizontal plane as the reduced stepped portion Nb of the driving roller towards which after being suitably elevated, the idler moves responsive to the pressure of the spring 29 which then is effective to force the slide and the idler wheel to such a position that the peripheral tread portion of the wheel l2 engages both the inner surface of the turntable flange F and the lateral peripheral surface of the stepped portion of the roller.

In operation, the reactive effect of the'driving by the roller II, when' rotating in aclockwise direction, as viewed from above, frictionally drives -the idler wheel |2 in the counter-clockwise direction which, in turn, engaging the inner surface of the turntable flange F, rotates said turntable in the clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow Z, Fig. 1.

This action, which is the-same regardless of the speed at which the turntable is driven, creates a reactive effect upon the wheel I2 whereby said idler wheel tends to move in an orbital direction about the axis of the turntable and in engagement with the flange thereof, which is opposite to the rotative movement of the turntable flange, and thereby increases the pressure engagement between said idler roller l2 and both said driving roller H and the turntable flange F, in a wellknown manner.

After driving the turntable at either the relatively reduced or relatively increased speed, as determined by the differences in diameters of the driving roller steps I la and lb, and to adjust the apparatus for driving the turntable at the alternative speed, the controlling knob 31 is rotated to the neutral position at which time the parts will be in the positions previously described and as illustrated in Figs. 3, 5 and 8. To drive at the higher speed, as approximately 78 R. P. M., the idler wheel is brought into engagement with the enlarged step ||a of the driving roller l as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 7 and 10, by rotation of the knob 31 in such direction that the projection 39 of the spring 38 will enter the depression 401). At

the spring 29 to partially retract in its eifort to such time, the angular relations between the crank arm 35 and the link 4| is that indicated by the dotted lines, Fig. 1.

It is noted that the post 45 projecting through the elongated opening 42 of said link 4| at its forward end engages the most forwardly disposed wall of said opening and the spring pressed slide I5 is unable to be moved by the spring 29 quite as much as in the case illustrated in Fig. 4-for a low speed driving condition, this being the result of the larger diameter of the step Ila of the driving roller acting as a stop for a greater forward I said slide.

. 7 movement by the idler wheel which is carried by The swingable carrier l9 and the slide I! carried thereby is tilted in a slightly different angular position, as viewed in Fig. 1 as compared to Fig. 4, for the same reason.

The recited adjustment of the manuallycontrolled knob 31 to achieve high speed driving of the operated parts, illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, I and 10, wherein the camming element 36 which is swung to the position indicated in Fig, 1 leaves the crank extension 33' of the crank 33 out of engagement with said camming element 34, and therefore the crank arm 24 is relieved from any p'ossible upward pressure engagement against the lower end of the rod 20 and the spring 48 maintains said rod in its lowermost position thereby lowering the carrier l9, slid 15 and idler wheel l2 so that the idler wheel will be positioned in the plane of the medial portion'of the larger step i la of the motor roller l l.

In fact said idler wheel l2 previously achieves positioning in such plane during rotation of the knob 31 through the neutral position, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and the further continued rotation to the high speed position is merely for the purpose of retracting the link M to release the slide l whereupon th slide IS with the idler wheel l2 may move under the pressure of the spring 29 to the operative driving position best illustrated in Figs. 1 and '7 whereby the idler simultaneously engages the larger or lower step of the motor roller H and the inner surface of the turntable flange F.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the slide actuating forward end of the slide adjusting link ti with three small circles which respectively indicate at 54, 52 and 53, the three different positions which the pin 50 disposed near the end of the slide arm l8 occupies with respect to the three angularly related side edges 54, 55 and 56, of the hook t3 during respectively the neutral adjusted position of the idler ii, the low speed position of said pin, and the high speed position thereof.

An advantageous feature of my present invention is the fact that when the idler wheel is moved to either its high speed or low speed driving position from the alternative operative posi-' tion, the apparatus must pass through the phase associated with the neutral position wherein the idler wheel [2 is maintained in outwardly spaced relation from even the step Ila of the motor roller which is greatest in diameter and that little or no pressure during the speed changeover will be experienced by the rubber tread periphery Of said idler wheel against the motor roller which otherwise is conducive to wear and deteri-" oration of said tread material.

Another improvement of my invention resides in the interruption of the energizing circuit leading to the motor M, Figs. and 11, whenever the controlling knob 31 is in its neutral rotative position. As illustrated in Fig. 5, this is achieved by the interpositioning of the electric switch S, Fig. 5, which is rigidly mounted onto the pendant hanger portion 21 of the frame extension 4a in any suitable manner as by screws 5! (Fig. 2), the operating button B for said switch being spring pressed upwardly to engage the underside of the link 4| in any and all adjusted positions of said link and said button B being depressed when engaged by the portion Ma of said link which is lowermost and rising when the link AI is moved to either of the alternative motor driving posi-' ,tions by rotation of the controlling knob 31 in which case the upper end of said button engages the more elevated portion 60 of the link.

The switch is ofthat type that when the button is depressed by engagement with thelink portion a, the switch contacts are opened and when the switch button B is elevated as when engaging the portion 60 of the link 4 I, the switch contacts are closed and therefore from the fore- 8 g description of the operation of the link, 4! which reciprocates endwise when moving from the neutral position and either of the alternative cult be interrupted when the apparatus is not being used and that the apparatus be in the neutral adjusted position at such time, the motor being energized towards the end ofthe operation of adjusting the mechanism to either operative turntable driving condition, the reasons therefor being obvious from the foregoing.

Having thus described my invention, 1 am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made therefrom without, however, de-

parting from the spirltof the invention and the scope-of the appended claims.

I claim: Y e v 1. In a two-speed friction drive for phonegraph turntables, a motor, a vertically extending driving shaft, said shaft provided with two different axially aligned roller portions of different diameters disposed at relatively different levels, a turntable and a frictional'wheel constantly in engagement therewith and adapted to' transfer torque from said shaft to said turntable, a mount upon which said friction wheel is journalled, said mount adapted for adjustment to either of the levels of the two diiferent roller steps and adapted to be shifted laterally in opposite directions to eifect engagement of said wheel with or to effect disengagement 'from either step which may be disposed at the level of said wheel, manually operable control-ling means comprising an 0scillatory handle adapted for movement and a plurality of motion communicating members so interconnecting said handle and said members .to adapt them for sequential idler wheel movmeans in the same direction to move said mount and idler wheel vertically from the level of said preengaged step to the level of the alternate step, in combination with spring means constantly exerting pressure on said idler wheel tending to shift said wheel laterally inwardly to effect engagement with either roller step when said idler wheel is at the level of said step, and means associated with saidfirst member and said handle and adapted to be moved only responsive to a final continuing movement of said handle to disable said first member whereby said spring means is again efiective to resiliently press 9 said idler wheel into engagement with the roller step which is disposed at the readjusted level of said idler wheel.

2. A two-speed driving mechanism for a phonograph turntable of the type employing a stepped driving roller and a single idler wheel interposed said idler wheel with said flange and roller, a motor, a shaft therefor, said step driving roller carried on the upper end of said shaft with a pair of stepseach of different diameter, a handle and a first manually operable means controlled thereby to two alternate adjusted positions to elevate or lower the idler wheel support to vertically shift said wheel from a precedent elevation corresponding to the elevation of one of a pair of steps of said step driving rollers to the alternate elevation of the other said step, and a second means simultaneously operable by said handle during either of the alternate vertical support adjusting movements to horizontally withdraw said mount beyond the periphery of the larger diameter step against the pressure of said spring means, said handle so operating said second means as to effect said horizontal movement of said wheel prior to effective operation of saidflrst means.

3. A two-speed driving mechanism for a phonograph turntable of the type employing a stepped driving roller and a single idler wheel interposed between said roller and the inner cylindrical surface of a peripheral turntable flange for driving the turntable, comprising a mount horizontally swingable on a vertical axis, a slide upon which the idler wheel is journalled, longitudinally ex tending horizontally disposed slide guides on said mount, spring means normally urging said wheel in such direction as to tend to effect simultaneous pressure engagement between the periphery of the idler wheel, said turntable flange and that step of the roller at the level of which said wheel is at the time positioned, a manually operable reciprocable handle, a movable element controlled thereby, said handle adapted to move in a single continuous path of uniform nature to move said element from one to the other of two alternate positions, said element adapted to cornmunicate opposite motions of said handle to said mount to effect alternate elevating or lowering movements to said mount, whereby the idler may be positioned in either of the two different levels of said roller steps, and means operable by said handle adapted to communicate motion thereof to said slide, whereby said slide may bemoved to disengage said wheel from the precedently engaged roller step and to move it laterally beyond the peripheral extent of that-step which is of larger diameter against the opposing pressure of said spring means, and means operable by said handle during a concluding portion of an adjustment movement thereof adapted to disable said slide moving means to permit said spring to effect reengagement of said wheel with the alternate roller step.

4. A two-speed driving a mechanism for a phonograph turntable of the type employing a stepped driving roller and a single idler wheel interposed between said roller and the inner cylindrical surface of a. peripheral turntable flange for driving the turntable, comprising a horizontally floating idler wheel carrier, a stationary frame element for said turntable, said idler carrier comprising a carrier comprising a carrier hub secured upon a carrier post, bearing means supported by said frame, a relatively lower portion of said post I passing through bearing means'and being longitudinally slidable thereupon to vary the elevation of said carrier, said carrier being rotatable about the axis of said post and comprising a slide way, a mount for said idler comprising a slide portion disposed in said slideway and an upstanding portion thereof, upon which said idler is journalled for rotation with said idler, making peripheral engagement with differently elevated portions of the inner surface of said turntable 'flange in respectively different elevated positions of said carrier, manually operable means comprising a handle, a link and a movable portion controlled by said handle adapted for disposition below and in engagement with anelement of said post for raising and lowering said post and the idler wheel carrier supported thereby to two alternate differently elevated positions, a motor, a shaft therefor and a stepped driving roller on the end of said shaft, said motor carried by said plate and presenting its shaft in an upward-direction with said stepped roller having portions of different diameters disposed in two adjoining differently elevated zones respectively corresponding to the two said differently elevated positions, spring means continuously exerting pressure upon an element of said idler mount to urge said slide portion forwardly in said carrier slideway and also to cooperatively so swing said carrier whereby said idler wheel is continuously yieldably pressed by said spring to engage said turntable flange and the step of said roller having a peslide and the idler wheel supported thereon in an outward direction with respect to both ofsaid roller stepped portions.

5. A two-speed driving mechanism for a phonograph turntable of the type employing a stepped driving roller and a single idler wheel interposed between said roller and the inner cylindrical surface of a peripheral turntable flange for driving the turntable, comprising a horizontally floating idler wheel support, a stationary frame element for said turntable and means comprising an element Of said support but associated therewith and interconnecting said support and said frame element and affording a journal whereby said support is rotatable about a vertical axis fixedly located with respect to the frame element and affording a vertical guiding surface whereby said support may be alternately vertically moved to either of two differently elevated positions, spring means continuously biasing said support in such direction as to tend to effect 11 operable means comprising a reciprocable handle and a movable portion controlled thereby admited for disposition below and in engagement with said support element to move said support and the supported idler wheel from either of said differently elevated positions to the other of said positions, said support and the supported idler wheel carried thereby to two alternately diflerent elevated positions, a motor, a shaft therefor, said stepped driving roller being carried on the upper end of said shaft with portions of diflerent diameter disposed in two adjoining differently elevated zones corresponding to the two said diflerent positions of said idler wheel, and said manually operable means comprising a second movsaid movable portion of said manually operable' means to eiiect the change of elevation of said idler wheel whereby said handle is adapted to move in a single continuous path of movement during adjustment of said idler wheel from prior engagement with one of said roller steps to sequentiallyefiect lateral vertical elevation chan ing movement of the idler wheel to dispose it to the horizontal Plane of the other step and a final inward movement of the idler wheel by means of pressure exerted by said spring means to cause final engagement between the idler wheel periphery and the other roller step.

6. Ina two-speed frictional drive for phonograph turntables, a motor disposed below the turntable with its shaft extending vertically upwardly and said shaft being formed to afford two superposed friction driving roller steps of different diameters, an idler wheel disposed in constant peripheral engagement with a vertically extending annular surface of the turntable and adapted to simultaneously make pressure contact with the outer peripheral surface of either of said motor shaft steps, a manually adjustable controller manually reciprocable in a continuous. uniform path from one to the other of two termi-,

nal positions, spring means constantly exerting a resiliently applied effort to said wheel normally operative to move it inwardly to peripheral engagement with the particular roller step at whose level said idler wheel is then disposed, at first motion communicating means so associated with said idler wheel and said controller as to respond to a first portion of said controller movement when moved from one to the other of said terminal positions to initially shift said wheel from preengagement with one of said roller steps laterally outwardly beyond the radial limit of either of said steps against the pressure of said spring means, and a second means associated with said motion communicating means adapted to .consequently respond to a continuing portion of such controller movement to shift the level of said idler wheel from its initial level to thelevel of the alternate roller surface, and said first motion communicating means being operative responsive to a final portion of said controller movement,

'to, disable said first motion communicating means whereby the pressure of said spring means becomes effective to move said wheel hori- 12 zontally inwardly to peripherally engage the previously non-engaged roller step. I

'l. The combination with a peripherally flanged phonograph turntable, a motor disposed below the turntable having an upwardly directed shaft end formed to provide a friction driving roller having two-successive steps of different diameters, both disposed radially within the turntable flange, an idler friction wheel, spring means adapted to exert a continuous effort to efiect peripheral engagement of the wheel with a step of said roller and said flange, supporting means for said idler wheel adapted to be moved in either vertical direction to dispose the idler wheel periphery at the level of either roller step and horizontally to move said wheel periphery later- I v ally outwardly from engagement with one or the other of said steps beyond'the peripheral extent of the larger step, a pair of reciprocable movable members adapted to respectively move said wheel support horizontally outwardly from said roller and vertically upwardly and downwardly, a controller manually adjustable along a continuous uniform path from either of two terminal positions to the other terminal position and means for sequentially communicating adjusting movements from said controller to said two members whereby said first member is first caused to move-the wheel to periphery in said horizontal outward direction and thereafter during continued movement of said controller in the same direction said second member is caused to move said wheel periphery in the appropriate vertical direction to remove it from the level of the preengaged roller step to the level of the other roller step, then during the final portion .of said controller movement said first member is disabled whereby the pressure of said Spring means is effective to press said wheel horizontally inwardly to establish engagement by its periphery with the previously non-engaged roller step.

8. The combination with a peripherally flanged phonographic turntable and a motor disposed therebelow, said motor provided with an upwardly directed power shaft upwardly formed to provide two superposed steps of different diameters disposed within the vertical limits of said flange, an idler'friction wheel, a mount therefor, said wheel adapted for horizontal floating movement on said mount, and said mount adapted for vertical movements and horizontal swinging movements, spring means biasing said wheel horizontally towards said shaft steps and said flange, a manually operable adjustment device comprising a movable controller arcuately movable between two extreme adjustment positions, and a pair of motion communicating members operable thereby, a first said member adapted to respond to arcuate movement of said controller ward movement of said wheel to dis-engage it from either pre-engaged shaft step, and the second said member adapted to respond to a relatively succeeding portion 'of' the arcuate movement of said controller to shift said mount from the initial level to the alternate level to position said wheel outwardly from said shaft, at the level of the alternate step, and means associated with said first member movable responsive to a next succeeding portion of said controller arcuate movement adapted to effect release of said wheel by said first member at said alternate level to permit said spring means to effect engagement of said wheel .with said alternate step.

wardly directed powershaft upwardly formed to provide two superposed steps of different diameters disposed within the vertical limits of said flange, an idler friction wheel adapted for horizontal floating movements and vertical adjusting movements, spring means biasing said wheel' horizontally towards said shaft-steps and said flange, a manually operable adjustment device :comprising a movable controller arcuately movable between two extremeadjustment positions, and a pair of motion communicating members operable thereby, a first said member adapted to respond to arcuate movement of said controller from either extreme adjustment position to an intermediate position to effect horizontally outward movement of said wheel to dis engage'it from either pre-engagedshaft step,'and the other said member adapted to respond to a succeeding portion of the arcuate movement of said controller to shift said wheel outwardly from said shaft at the level of the alternate step, and said first'member movable responsive to a next succeeding portion of said controller arcuate movement adapted to effect release by said first member of said wheel at said alternate level to permit said spring means to efiect engagement of said wheel with said alternate step.

10. In combination with a peripherally flanged phonographic turntable, a-motor disposed therebelow comprising an upwardly directed driving shaft formed to provide a friction driving roller for two successive steps of different diameters both disposed radially within the turntable flange at different levels, a mount element journalled for rotative' and vertical movements, a rotatable friction wheel flexibly carried by said element and adapted for independent horizontal movements with respect thereto, spring means constantly -urging said friction wheel to engage one of said shaft steps disposed at the level of said wheel, a

manually operablev controller for adjusting said wheel laterally with respect to said steps and* verticallyto the different respective levels there-, of, said controller comprising a motion communicating device movable between oppositely adjusted positions in auniform arcuate path, a pair of motion communicating members adjustable by said device, a first said member adapted to respofid to arcuate .movement of said devicefrom either extreme adjustment position to an interaasaeoa.

mediate/position to effect-horizontally outward movement of said wheel to dis-engage it from either pre-engaged shaft step, and the other said member adapted to respond to'a succeeding portion of the arcuate movement of said device to shift said wheel outwardly fromsaid shaft at the level of the alternate step.,and said first member movable responsive to a next succeeding portion of said device arcuate movement adapted to efi'ect release by said first member of said wheel at said alternate level to permit said spring means to effect engagement of said wheel with said alternate step.

11. The combination of elements substantially as set forth in claim 8 characterised by the first I recited member comprising a longitudinally shiftable link interconnecting said controller and said floating wheel and the said second member comprising a lever having an actuated arm engageable with said mount and an actuating arm engaged with an element of said controller.

12. The combination substantially as set forth in claim 8 characterised by a second spring normally biasing one of the alternate adjustment levels, said second member having a controller- ,actuatable portion to efiect shifting of said 13. The combination substantially as set forth in claim 9 characterised by said controller comprising a crank arm arcuately swingable in either alternate direction between two adjustment positions through an intermediate position at which it is disposed substantially nearest to the elements of said wheel engaged by the recited members and said members being selectively actuatable by said crank arm at different ar'cuately disposed portions of its movement.

14. The combination substantially as set forth in claim 8 characterised by said controller comprising a crank arm adapted to operate said motion communicating members during successive portions of the arcuate movement of said crank arm with an initial portion of the movement of said crank arm adapted to operate said first member, and an intermediate portion of said movement adapted to operate said second member.

l5.-The combination substantially as set forth in claim 8 characterised by the provision of means adapted to maintain said controller in intermediately-adjusted position to maintain the periphery of said wheel out of engagement with either shaft step.

16. The combination substantially'as set forth in claim 9 characterised by the provision of means adapted to maintain said controller in intermediately adjusted position to maintain the periphery of said wheel but of engagement with either shaft step.

175A selective two-speed phonographic turn; table driving mechanism of the type wherein a vertically and horizontally movable idler wheel is adapted to be alternately peripherally frictionally engaged with either of twojsuperposd driving roller steps while simultaneously engaged at two different levels with a pendant flange of said turntable, adjusting means for said wheel comprising a manually operable controller arcuately movable between two extreme adjustment positions, separate motion communicating means respectively adapted tocommunicate motion from said controller to said wheel, the first adapted to effect movement of said wheel laterally out-- wardly beyondthe radial extent of the larger step of said roller and the second adapted to effect vertical movement tosaid wheel to shift it from an initial level to the alternate level, a pair of spring means, the first adapted to bias said wheel in such direction as to effect simultaneous peripheral engagement thereby with said roller and flange, and the second adapted .to resiliently oppose movement of. said wheel in one of the two vertical directions.

JOSEPH BENDER, JR. REFERENCES CITED The following references-are of record in the,

file of this patent: v

UNITED STATES. PATENTS Name Date 

